A Walk Down the Memory Lane of Medical Supplies

Remember playing doctor? The Fisher Price doctor’s kit of plastic medical supplies? My favorite was easily the little stethoscope, although I also enjoyed—and still do—the feeling of pressure on my arm when the nurse (well, back then it was my sister, pretending to be a nurse) wrapped the Velcro band tight and pumped it up to take my blood pressure.

Of all medical supplies, the stethoscope is the classic doctor’s accessory. Is it any wonder that its origins are French? It was invented in 1816 by René Laennec at the Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital in Paris. It consisted of a wooden tube and was monaural. It was quite similar to the common ear trumpet of the time.

Medical supplies have come a long way—since 1816, certainly, and since my childhood doctor-playing days—and the stethoscope has evolved to include not only acoustic, but electronic, recording and fetal monitoring possibilities. But the stethoscope, cool and heavy against the chest, remains the symbol of the profession.

Get Dialysis Supplies for Less at United Med

Dialysis is a very delicate process that requires the best in medical supplies to get the job done efficiently and safely. According to USA Today, the fastest-growing group of people requiring dialysis is the 75 years and older category, many of whom already have other major health problems. Furthermore, many of these older patients are in nursing homes, many of which aren’t equipped to handle this serious medical procedure. That’s why it’s imperative that if you run a dialysis center and are treating these fragile older patients, you are fully stocked on the medical supplies you need to get the job done efficiently for the patient. 

If you run a long term care facility and are looking for quality dialysis supplies in addition to your regular order of nursing home supplies, you should look no further than United Med. In addition to our impressive stock of everything from Band-aids to blood pressure monitors, we have top notch dialysis products available from Dialycare. Dialycare has a comprehensive supply of anything and everything you need to treat a patient needing this life-saving renal therapy.

Get Up-to-Date Medical Supplies

If you run a private clinic or medical facility, you should know firsthand that the medical supplies and equipment you use should be top-notch. These days, it’s expected for facilities in the U.S. to have the latest and greatest medical supplies and equipment. If you’re concerned with the costs of regularly updating your medical supplies, you should put yourself in the patient’s shoes. It’s a truly scary thing to relinquish control over your life and put it in the hands of a total stranger.

In addition, as a patient, you are paying tons of money to get, what you anticipate to be, the best treatment available. This is especially true if one of your patients is going to be paying for their treatment out of pocket. Often times, nursing homes and long-term care facilities get away with not having decent medical supplies. This is outrageous. Elderly individuals are often ailing, and if your facilities doesn’t have the proper nursing home supplies to ease their pain and treat their ailment, you’re basically telling them that they’re lives aren’t worth the money you’d spend on new medical supplies.

So get up to date on the latest medical supplies. Do it for yourself, your patients, and your practice.

Medical Supplies News: FDA Expands Defibrilator Recall

Last November the Food and Drug Administration issued a recall on some models of external defibrillators, a staple in many facilities nursing home supply. The original recall included defibrillators manufactured by Cardiac Science Corporation and now included GE’ s Responder, and two Nihon Kohden model’s also made by Cardiac Science. This brings the total defibrillator recall count to nearly 300,000.

"The FDA is issuing this notice so that users can take the proper steps necessary to assure they have access to safe and effective defibrillators," Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement.

In addition to nursing home supply, external defibrillators can be found in airports, hospitals, homes, and other public places and are integral in reviving someone struck with sudden cardiac arrest. According to the FDA, the devices were recalled because they suffer from a malfunction of the relay component and have faulty resistors.

Because of these defects, the recalled devices may not be able to administer the life-saving shocks needed to revive someone in an emergency. In addition, the FDA stated that the defects may not be able to properly recognize electrode placement.

The recall affects defibrillators manufactured between August 2003 and August 2009. Models affected are:
Powerheart-9300A, 9300C, 9300D, 9300E, 9300P, 9390A and 9390E
CardioVive- 92531, 92532, 92533
Nihon Kohden-9200G and 9231
GE Responder-2019198, 2023440